our team

about our kaitiaki
(guardians of the children)

Tūhura Wilderness has an incredible team of educators who work with our children. Their mahi as volunteers/carers/educators ensures our sessions provide quality care and learning for our tamariki.

Monique is a mama and educator who is affectionally known as our camp chef! She makes the best camp bread and stews, pancakes, popcorn and perfectly crisped toasted marshmallows! Monique supports our children in their wellbeing and weaves together te ao Māori, te reo Maōri, aroha, curiosity and care into our sessions. Monique enjoys exploring the bush with our children and supporting them to find the hidden magic in experiences and discoveries.
Monique lives on a farm with her husband and two kids, caring for her organic garden and supporting her whanau in their endeavors, fundraising in the community and baking all sorts of yumminess in her kitchen!

Helen was born in Scotland. She was a Physiotherapist for 25 years and then transitioned into ECE teaching after completing a Grad. Diploma in Teaching in 2020. After finding Tuhura Wilderness in 2022, she realised her desire for teaching needed to be nature related, so she undertook the Bay Conservation Alliance Cadetship Program.
Along with being a guide at Tuhura, Helen is also blessed to be the Education Coordinator for the Whakatane Kiwi Trust, taking school groups into the ngahere and raising awareness about local Kiwi conservation projects.
Helen lives in Whakatane with her husband and their kids. She is passionate about our environment and supports our children in plant, insect and fungi identification, pest control, and doing lots of fun bush craft activities.

Tasj was born in the Netherlands and has a double degree in Biology and Education. She worked as a high school teacher and traveled the world, scuba diving all over the globe for 10 years before settling in New Zealand. She has 7 years experience teaching children with additional needs. Tasj has 5 kids with her husband and they live on a farm. Tasj loves riding her horses in the hills, through the bush and on the beach. She covers relief in our local schools.

Ashlee brings her experiences, qualifications and skills in mental health, trauma, neurodiversity and education to our Tūhura whanau and passionately advocates for wellbeing to be at the core of learning and teaching. She is a mum of two Tūhura Wilderness kids and she also loves to read, write, spend time at the beach and being with her friends and family. Ashlee's favourite Tūhura days are watching the children make amazing discoveries by working together. Ashlee works as an Educational Wellbeing Coach.

Megan was born and raised in the Bay of Plenty and lives in Edgecumbe with her husband and two children. Megan has a Diploma in ECE and pursued that career for 14 years. Since finding Tuhura Wilderness this year her passion has changed and she has been enjoying the outdoors with the older children - not only teaching them in nature but the children are teaching her a thing or two! She has also resumed study to gain more knowledge in the areas she loves, including forest school pedagogy and everything art and crafts. Megan and her family love getting outside with 4wding and camping and Megan has recently taken up running - which all have taken her on adventures around New Zealand. She also likes to get into the garden and loves some quiet time reading books.